Twelve Bozeman High seniors all crammed together for a photo, a glimmering state championship trophy in their grasp. The memory of consecutive undefeated, title-winning seasons will surely last for much of their lives, but the picture of them huddled together at the front of the goal will serve as further evidence of a joyous and dominating journey. “My soccer career just ended, and it's the best way it could have, with all my best friends,” senior Hadley Brown said.
Ten other players on the roster and Ella Lee, a teammate last year who tore her ACL but remained with the team in a manager role, reveled in the afterglow of a second straight Class AA championship performance. Together, over the course of two seasons, they went 31-0-3 and allowed just nine goals while scoring an absurd 147. The last two goals in that tally came Saturday in a 2-0 win over crosstown rival Gallatin on a frigid and rain-soaked field at Bozeman High School.
Bozeman won 2-0 against Missoula Hellgate in the final last season as well. The Hawks finished this campaign 15-0-2 and as the first back-to-back Class AA girls soccer champions since Billings West in 2009-10. “We've been playing with each other since we were 8 years old,” Brown said of the senior class, “so to end our senior year season and junior year season with the state championship is the best feeling ever.
” Senior Meg Murphy scored in the ninth minute, and the East No. 1 seed Hawks led 1-0 at halftime. In the second half, Brown .
